Flexible, Reconfigurable, Power Efficient Transmitter and Method

Abstract

A flexible, reconfigurable, power efficient transmitter device and method is provided. In one embodiment, the method includes receiving outbound data and determining a mode of operation. When operating in a first mode the method may include modulation mapping the outbound data according a modulation scheme to provide first modulation mapped digital data, converting the first modulation mapped digital data to an analog signal that comprises an intermediate frequency (IF) analog signal, upconverting the IF analog signal to produce a first modulated radio frequency (RF) signal based on a local oscillator signal, upconverting the first RF modulated signal to produce a first RF output signal, and outputting the first RF output signal via an isolator. In a second mode of operation method may include modulation mapping the outbound data according a modulation scheme to provide second modulation mapped digital data, converting the second modulation mapped digital data to a first digital baseband signal, conditioning the first digital baseband signal to provide a first analog baseband signal, modulating one or more carriers with the first analog baseband signal to produce a second modulated RF signal based on a local oscillator signal, upconverting the second RF modulated signal to produce a second RF output signal, and outputting the second RF output signal via the isolator. The digital baseband signal may comprise an in-phase (I) digital baseband signal and a quadrature (Q) baseband signal.

1 . A transmitter, comprising:
 a processing module including memory and configured to receive outbound digital data and to modulation map received outbound digital data in accordance with a modulation scheme to provide modulation mapped digital data as an outbound data signal;   a digital-to-analog converter (DAC) module configured to receive the modulation mapped digital data and to convert the modulation mapped digital data to one of a digital baseband signal and an intermediate frequency (IF) analog signal;   a local oscillator configured output a local oscillator (LO) signal;   a first upconverter module configured to receive the IF analog signal and to mix the IF analog signal with the LO signal to produce a first modulated radio frequency (RF) signal;   a conditioner module configured to receive the digital baseband signal and to condition the digital baseband signal by reducing the amplitude of the digital baseband signal to provide an analog baseband signal;   a modulator module configured to receive the analog baseband signal and to modulate one or more carriers with the analog baseband signal to produce a second modulated RF signal; and   a second upconverter module configured to receive one of the first modulated RF signal and the second RF modulated signal and to upconvert the received signal to provide an upconverted output signal.   
   
   
       2 . The transmitter according to  claim 1 , wherein said processing module is configured to operate in a plurality of modes comprising:
 a first mode wherein the outbound data signal traverses through said DAC module, said first upconverter module, and said second upconverter module and is output without traversing through said modulator module; and   a second mode wherein the outbound data signal traverses through said DAC module, said modulator module, and said second upconverter module and is output without traversing through said first upconverter module.   
   
   
       3 . The transmitter according to  claim 2 , wherein said processing module is configured to operate in a third mode wherein the outbound data signal traverses through said modulator module and said second upconverter module and is output without traversing through said DAC module and without traversing through said first upconverter module. 
   
   
       4 . The transmitter according to  claim 1 , wherein said processing module is further configured to output a digital baseband signal to said conditioner to thereby bypass said DAC module. 
   
   
       5 . The transmitter according to  claim 1 , further comprising a filter module configured to receive and filter the digital baseband signal and to provide the digital baseband signal as a filtered digital baseband signal to said conditioner module. 
   
   
       6 . The transmitter according to  claim 1 , wherein the analog baseband signal has a voltage no greater than one volt peak to peak. 
   
   
       7 . The transmitter according to  claim 1 , wherein the digital baseband signal comprises an in-phase (I) digital baseband signal and a quadrature (Q) digital baseband signal 
   
   
       8 . The transmitter according to  claim 7 , wherein said conditioner module comprises:
 a first conditioner configured to condition the in-phase digital baseband signal to produce an in-phase analog baseband signal; and   a second conditioner configured to condition the quadrature digital baseband signal to produce a quadrature analog baseband signal.   
   
   
       9 . The transmitter according to  claim 9 , further comprising:
 a phase shift circuit configured to shift the LO signal by approximately ninety degrees to provide a phase shifted LO signal;   wherein said modulation module includes a first mixer configured to mix the LO signal with one of the quadrature analog baseband signal and the in-phase analog baseband signal to produce a first modulated signal;   wherein said modulation module includes a second mixer configured mix the phase shifted LO signal with the other of the quadrature analog baseband signal and the in-phase analog baseband signal to produce a second modulated signal; and   a combiner module configured to combine the first modulated signal and the second modulated signal to produce the second modulated RF signal.   
   
   
       10 . The transmitter according to  claim 1 , wherein said local oscillator is configured to receive a control signal and to output the local oscillator (LO) signal at a frequency that is dependent on the control signal. 
   
   
       11 . A transmitter, comprising:
 a processing module including memory having program code stored therein, said processing module configured to modulation map data using any of a plurality of modulation schemes;   said processing module configured to receive outbound digital data and to modulation map received outbound digital data in accordance one of the plurality of modulation schemes to provide modulation mapped digital data as an outbound signal;   a digital-to-analog (DAC) module configured to receive the modulation mapped digital data and to output a signal that comprises one of a digital baseband signal and an IF analog signal;   a first upconverter module configured to receive the IF analog signal and to upconvert the IF analog signal to produce a first modulated radio frequency (RF) signal;   a conditioner module configured to receive the digital baseband signal and to condition the digital baseband signal to provide an analog baseband signal;   a modulator module configured to receive the analog baseband signal and to modulate one or more carriers with the analog baseband signal to produce a second modulated RF signal; and   an output circuit configured receive one of the first modulated RF signal and the second modulated RF signal and to output an RF output signal.   
   
   
       12 . The transmitter according to  claim 12 , wherein said output circuit comprises:
 a power amplifier configured to receive one of the first modulated RF signal and the second modulated RF signal and to amplifier the received signal to produce the RF output signal; and   an isolator configured isolate said power amplifier while outputting the RF output signal.   
   
   
       13 . The transmitter according to  claim 11 , wherein said output circuit comprises:
 a second upconverter module configured to receive one of the first modulated RF signal and the second modulated RF signal and to upconvert the received signal to produce the RF output signal.   
   
   
       14 . The transmitter according to  claim 11 , wherein said processing module is configured to operate in a plurality of modes comprising:
 a first mode wherein the outbound signal traverses through said DAC module, said first upconverter module to said second upconverter module without traversing through said modulator module; and   a second mode wherein the outbound signal traverses through said DAC module, said modulator module to said second upconverter module without traversing through said first upconverter module.   
   
   
       15 . The transmitter according to  claim 14 , wherein said processing module is configured to operate in a third mode wherein the outbound signal traverses through said modulator module to said second upconverter module without traversing through said DAC module and without traversing through said first upconverter module. 
   
   
       16 . The transmitter according to  claim 11 , wherein said processing module is further configured to output a digital baseband signal to said conditioner to thereby bypass said DAC module. 
   
   
       17 . The transmitter according to  claim 11 , further comprising a filter module configured to receive and filter the digital baseband signal and to provide the filtered digital based band signal to said conditioner module. 
   
   
       18 . The transmitter according to  claim 11 , wherein the analog baseband signal has a voltage that is less than 600 millivolts. 
   
   
       19 . The transmitter according to  claim 11 , wherein the digital baseband signal comprises an in-phase (I) digital baseband signal and a quadrature (Q) digital baseband signal 
   
   
       20 . The transmitter according to  claim 19 , wherein said conditioner module comprises:
 a first conditioner configured to condition the in-phase digital baseband signal to produce an in-phase analog baseband signal; and   a second conditioner configured to condition the quadrature digital baseband signal to produce a quadrature analog baseband signal.   
   
   
       21 . A method transmitting a communication signal, comprising:
 receiving outbound data;   determining a mode of operation;   
     in a first mode of operation:
 modulation mapping the outbound data according a modulation scheme to provide first modulation mapped digital data; 
 converting the first modulation mapped digital data to an analog signal that comprises an IF analog signal; 
 upconverting the IF analog signal to produce a first modulated RF signal based on a local oscillator signal; 
 upconverting the first modulated RF signal to produce a first RF output signal; and 
 outputting the first RF output signal; and 
 
     in a second mode of operation:
 modulation mapping the outbound data according a modulation scheme to provide second modulation mapped digital data; 
 converting the second modulation mapped digital data to a first digital baseband signal; 
 conditioning the first digital baseband signal to provide a first analog baseband signal; 
 modulating one or more carriers with the first analog baseband signal to produce a second modulated RF signal based on a local oscillator signal; 
 upconverting the second modulated RF signal to produce a second RF output signal; and 
 outputting the second RF output signal. 
 
   
   
       22 . The method according to  claim 21 , the comprising:
 in a third mode of operation:
 modulation mapping the outbound data according a modulation scheme to provide a second digital baseband signal; 
 conditioning the second digital baseband signal by reducing the amplitude of the second digital baseband signal to provide a second analog baseband signal; 
 modulating one or more carriers with the second analog baseband signal to produce a third modulated RF signal; 
 upconverting the third modulated RF signal to produce a third RF output signal; and 
 outputting the third RF output signal. 
   
   
   
       23 . A transmitter, comprising:
 a processing module including memory and configured to receive outbound digital data and to modulation map received outbound digital data in accordance with a modulation scheme to provide modulation mapped digital data as an outbound data signal;   a digital-to-analog converter (DAC) module configured to receive the outbound data signal and to convert the outbound data signal to a digital baseband signal;   a conditioner module configured to receive the digital baseband signal and to condition the digital baseband signal by reducing the amplitude of the digital baseband signal to provide an analog baseband signal;   a modulator module configured to receive the analog baseband signal and to modulate one or more carriers with the analog baseband signal to produce a first modulated RF signal;   wherein said modulator module comprises an integrated circuit having a modulation bandwidth of at least one hundred fifty megahertz and a radio frequency output of at least 2250 megahertz; and   an upconverter module configured to receive the first modulated RF signal and to upconvert the received signal to provide an upconverted output signal.   
   
   
       24 . The transmitter according to  claim 23 , wherein said upconverted output signal comprises a Ku-Band signal.